- Phuket News
Phuket’s veggie fest ends with sacred send-off to the gods
Phuket marked the final day of its annual vegetarian festival with a sacred Buddha procession through the city, drawing crowds despite rainy conditions. The final day of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2025 concluded with a sacred ceremony steeped in tradition, as worshippers gathered for the revered Iu Keng ritual, a spiritual procession believed to carry away misfortune and bestow blessings…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya mayor orders urgent cleanup of city eyesores
Pattaya’s mayor chaired a key meeting with city officials to review ongoing infrastructure issues, enforce building codes, and accelerate urban cleanups. Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngamphichet chaired a high-level policy meeting yesterday, October 28, at City Hall, aiming to accelerate lagging public works and enforce regulations across the city. The session reviewed outstanding issues from the previous meeting and introduced measures…
- Politics News
Anutin brushes off China worries over rare earths deal with US
Thailand’s prime minister dismissed concerns that a new rare earth cooperation deal with the US could strain relations with China, calling it goodwill. PM Anutin Charnvirakul made the remarks after returning from the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, addressing media at Don Mueang’s Wing 6 terminal in Bangkok yesterday, October 28. Anutin was responding to questions about the memorandum of…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok couple arrested for sex trafficking underage girls
Police have apprehended a couple operating a hotel in the Bang Khae district of Bangkok for allegedly sex trafficking underage girls. The arrest was made yesterday, October 28, led by Police Colonel Witthaya Sriprasertphap, head of the Anti-Human Trafficking Division. The suspects, 58 year old Wichit and his 37 year old wife, Boom, face charges of human trafficking and facilitating…
- Phuket News
Patong scrambles for help after hillside collapse chaos
A landslide struck a hillside road in Patong following heavy rain, prompting officials to seek urgent help from provincial and national agencies. The incident occurred on the upper slope of 50 Pi Road, where heavy rain last week triggered a collapse of foundations and retaining walls. Concrete debris and soil fell onto the roadside below, forcing a temporary road closure.…
- Pattaya News
Myanmar man stabs sister’s boyfriend in Sri Racha love row
A Myanmar man was rushed to the hospital after being stabbed twice in a jealous rage by his girlfriend’s brother during a heated altercation in Sri Racha. The incident took place around 7pm yesterday, October 28, at a condominium near Nong Kham Police Station in Chon Buri. The victim, 30 year old Ang Phiang Pha Yae, was found with serious…
- Phuket News
Burmese worker dies after fall from moving garbage truck in Kathu
A Myanmar worker died after falling from a moving garbage truck in Kathu district, Phuket, while transporting waste, prompting a police investigation into the fatal accident. The incident occurred around 2.20pm yesterday, October 28, near the Kathu Social Security Office on Phra Phuket Kaew Road. Police and emergency responders arrived to find a six-wheeled private garbage truck parked at the…
- Business News
Thai govt fires up 44 billion baht cash splash to boost spending
Thailand’s government has launched a nationwide co-payment scheme to boost consumer spending and support economic growth in the final quarter of the year. The Khon La Khrueng Plus programme, officially launched today, October 29, aims to boost domestic spending and soften the blow of a projected Q4 slowdown. Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas said the initiative is expected to lift GDP…
- Pattaya News
US$2,000 vanishes from Finnish tourists’ Pattaya holiday home
Two tourists reported a theft after discovering US$2,000 missing from their rented Pattaya home following a brief outing, prompting a police investigation. A pair of Finnish tourists in Pattaya had their holiday turn sour after returning to their rental house to discover US$2,000 in cash had mysteriously vanished. The incident occurred in Soi Jomtien 7, where the sisters had rented…
- Central Thailand News
Ambulance crash in Chachoengsao hits elephant in the room
An ambulance collided with a wild elephant while rushing injured patients to the hospital in a forested area of Chachoengsao province, central Thailand, during a late-night emergency. The incident occurred around 11.30pm yesterday, October 28, when a rescue van from the Phanom Thung Phraya unit was rushing three injured people to the hospital. While driving along the Ban Na Yao–Khlong…
- Thailand News
Ministry confirms schools can celebrate during mourning
Thailand’s Education Ministry has clarified its stance on school celebrations, confirming that festivities are not banned, despite earlier confusion caused by conflicting guidelines. An urgent notice, issued to private schools yesterday, October 28, cancels the ministry’s previous directive and outlines revised measures. The new guidelines, effective from October 25, came following an executive meeting held on Monday, October 27. Academic…
- Thailand News
Hong Thai defends balm recall, vows tighter safety checks
A herbal balm manufacturer has recalled a product after Thai health officials found contamination during a routine inspection, prompting a public safety warning. Thai Herbal Hong Thai Ltd., the maker of the Hong Thai Herbal Inhaler Formula 2, has announced a recall of production Lot 000332 following an inspection by Thailand’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Routine tests found that…
- Bangkok News
Bangkok salon owner shaken by gun-toting cop impersonator (video)
A Bangkok salon owner has called for police protection after a disturbing encounter with an armed man claiming to be a police officer outside her business. The owner, 39 year old Nisarat “Niko” Auayklang, was at her hair salon on Rat Burana Road when the frightening incident occurred around midday. According to her account, a stranger aged between 35 and…
- Aviation News
Travel mayhem hits Asia and Bangkok with 27 flights axed
Travellers across Asia and the Gulf are facing major disruptions as multiple airlines cancel and delay flights at key airports due to operational issues. A total of 27 cancellations and 102 delays were reported across major international hubs, including Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, Dubai, Jeddah, Phnom Penh, and Bagdogra, sparking frustration among affected passengers. Airlines such as Saudia, KLM, Hainan…
- Tourism News
Tourism dips as Thailand tackles debt and sluggish growth
Thailand’s foreign arrivals declined over a recent 10-month period, prompting officials to revise forecasts and accelerate economic recovery efforts. Thailand welcomed 26.25 million foreign visitors from January 1 to October 26 this year, marking a 7.25% drop compared to the same period in 2024, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports announced today, October 28. Malaysia led the pack as the…
- Thailand News
Royal tribute: Loy Krathong to proceed with subdued tone
The Ministry of Culture has confirmed that Thailand’s traditional Loy Krathong Festival will go ahead as planned, albeit with a more subdued tone to honour the recent passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother. Culture Minister Sabeeda Thaiset stated that the festival, traditionally marked by colourful celebrations and river lanterns, will continue under the revised theme, Thai Loy…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya’s crumbling footpaths spark tourist safety fears
Pattaya’s footpaths are drawing fresh complaints from locals and tourists, who say the city’s walkways remain unsafe, cluttered, and poorly maintained. Residents and visitors are voicing growing frustration over the city’s failing pedestrian infrastructure, saying that despite big promises from officials, Pattaya’s pavements remain a dangerous mess. Critics say enforcement is nearly non-existent. Motorcycles regularly zoom along footpaths as makeshift…
- Phuket News
Holiday tragedy: Kiwi tourist found dead in Kata hotel
A New Zealand tourist was found dead in her hotel room near Kata Beach, prompting police to launch an investigation into the circumstances. Officers from Karon Police Station were called to the scene at around 2.45pm after hotel staff reported that a guest had been found unresponsive. Police Lieutenant Phirawat Yodtor said forensic investigators and a doctor were immediately dispatched.…
- Education
Education Ministry denies school event ban during mourning
Thailand’s Education Ministry has denied issuing a blanket ban on school activities during the national mourning period for Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, The Queen Mother, following backlash from parents and educators online. Concerns were sparked after the ministry circulated a directive urging educational institutions to avoid “joyful activities” for one year out of respect. However, Education Minister Narumon Pinyosinwat has…
- Finance
How to claim your cash in Thailand’s co-pay wallet scheme
Thailand’s co-pay scheme returns, allowing eligible users to start spending via the Paotang app after topping up their G Wallet through various methods. Thailand’s popular co-payment scheme Khon La Khrueng Plus is back, and eligible users can start spending from tomorrow, October 29, through the Paotang app. But before cashing in on the perks, beneficiaries must first top up their…
- Tourism News
Thailand eyes 1.2 million US tourists with new flight boom
Thailand is preparing to welcome a surge in tourists from the US, as new flight routes and increased interest in luxury travel drive up arrival forecasts. Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool announced that the country expects nearly 1.2 million visitors from the United States in 2026, an 8% jump from this year. The forecast follows the return…
- Politics News
Thailand and Vietnam vow to boost ties and economic links
Thailand and Vietnam are doubling down on their commitment to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties, following high-level talks at the 47th ASEAN Summit in Malaysia. In a bilateral meeting held on the sidelines of the summit, Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow met with his Vietnamese counterpart Le Hoai Trung to reaffirm their dedication to advancing the two countries’ comprehensive strategic…
- Pattaya News
Man flees to rooftop as Sri Racha apartment goes up in flames
A fire broke out in a Sri Racha apartment, forcing a man to escape to the rooftop, where emergency crews later rescued him amid thick smoke and flames. The blaze broke out around 10am on Sunday, October 26, at the rear of a three-storey commercial building on 9 Kilo Road, directly opposite a well-known local school. Officials believe the fire…
- Phuket News
Phuket mourns Queen Mother with island-wide tributes
Phuket fell into quiet mourning as locals and tourists joined together to honour Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, with solemn tributes and ceremonial blessings across the island. The public is invited to take part in water blessing ceremonies and sign official books of condolences in memory of Her Majesty, whose lifelong devotion to the Thai people is being…
- Pattaya News
Chon Buri woman followed home in late-night break-in scare
A woman in Chon Buri was followed home by a man who later tried to break into her house, prompting a police investigation and calls for public vigilance. The incident took place in a neighbourhood in Sri Racha and was captured on CCTV. Prueksa Boonlom, a 33 year old restaurant receptionist, had just finished her shift around 2am and was…
- Phuket News
Phuket ramps up anti-drug drive with united front
Phuket is doubling down on its war against drugs, bringing together police, health officials and government leaders in a full-force push to wipe out narcotics. A high-level meeting held at Phuket Provincial Hall saw top provincial figures join forces under the government’s national Quick Big Win anti-drug policy, which demands urgent, integrated action to tackle drug issues within four months.…
- Thailand Weather Updates
Cool mornings, rain and rough seas forecast across Thailand
Thailand braces for a mix of cool mornings, scattered rain, and rough seas as changing weather systems sweep across the country, the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) warns. A high-pressure system draped over upper Thailand is locking in cooler morning temperatures, particularly in the north and northeast. Meanwhile, a low-pressure cell hovering off southern Vietnam is fuelling unstable conditions in the…
- Pattaya News
Pattaya bar offers bounty after thief nabs prized BMX bike
A bar in Pattaya is appealing for help after a thief stole a customer’s bicycle, prompting a police report and a cash reward for its return. The incident, which occurred on Monday, October 20, was captured on CCTV and widely shared on social media, sparking public outrage and concerns over the bar’s reputation. The bar, located in Soi 6, is…
- Politics News
Anutin hits back at scam claims, calls rumours baseless
Thailand’s prime minister denied involvement in scam networks following international reports, reaffirming government efforts to crack down on cybercrime. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has hit back at allegations linking him to scam operations in Thailand, dismissing the claims as unfounded and politically motivated. The remarks follow a New York Times report naming Thailand as a hotspot for scam activity, sparking…
- Phuket News
Rain can’t stop Phuket Vegetarian Festival’s wildest parade
Thousands gathered in Phuket Town to witness sacred processions, where spirit mediums braved rain and rituals during the Vegetarian Festival. Thousands of devotees, spirit mediums, and curious onlookers lined the streets of Phuket Town today, October 25, to witness the powerful Iw Keng processions from the Tha Ruea and Jeng Ong shrines, two of the most revered events in the…
